Shenzhou-21: Third Spacewalk Completed and Mission Extended

The Shenzhou-21 crew aboard China’s Tiangong space station successfully completed their third series of extravehicular activities (EVAs) on Friday, April 17, 2026, marking another milestone in the nation’s human spaceflight program. The spacewalk, which began in the early hours and concluded at 1:36 a.m. Beijing Time, lasted approximately five and a half hours and was conducted with support from the station’s robotic arm and ground teams.

Astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang carried out the EVA, during which they installed a space debris protection device on the exterior of the station and performed inspections of external equipment and facilities. Zhang Lu and Wu Fei performed the extravehicular tasks while Zhang Hongzhang provided intravehicular support, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). The crew returned safely to the Wentian laboratory module upon completion of the activities.

This EVA marks the seventh spacewalk conducted by Zhang Lu since becoming an astronaut, setting a new record for the most extravehicular activities by a Chinese national. His cumulative EVA time now places him among the most experienced Chinese spacewalkers to date.